With soccer’s January window open for business, several U.S. men’s national team players find themselves in potentially fluid situations, mostly across Europe but also involving a potential switch from Liga MX to Major League Soccer.
From players in good form who could command big transfer fees to others who may need a move to find more playing time, the list of U.S. players who could find new teams in 2025 includes a few USMNT regulars and other hopefuls.
Anything can happen in January and this is not an attempt at an all-encompassing list, but here is a look at five of the players who could be on the move in the upcoming window – or at least find themselves part of the subtle (and not-so-subtle) machinations that go on at this time of year.
Ricardo Pepi, forward, PSV Eindhoven
Pepi has been in very good form for both club and country.
The striker, who turns 22 on Jan. 9, has scored 10 Eredivisie goals in 643 minutes this season. He’s added another in Champions League and two more in the Dutch Cup, and has another three goals with the U.S. over the last three games under the direction of Mauricio Pochettino.
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Pepi’s production this season has apparently drawn some interest. Eindhovens Dagblad reported that a Premier League team has made a $20.7 million (€20 million) offer to PSV for the January window. PSV paid about $10 million for Pepi when they bought him from FC Augsburg. Pepi initially moved to Germany on a $20 million fee from FC Dallas.
Reports indicate PSV is willing to hold out for a bigger offer. With Luuk de Jong entrenched as the starter there, and PSV seemingly willing to sell, we’ll see how much Pepi will actually command on the market.
Brandon Vazquez, forward, CF Monterrey
Less than one year after leaving FC Cincinnati to join Monterrey in Liga MX, the U.S. striker seems set to leave Mexico. Rayados paid a $7.5 million fee to Cincinnati last January and Vazquez has scored nine goals in 1,302 minutes in Mexico. His most likely destination is a team back in MLS.
Previous reports indicated that Vazquez had been in talks with the San Jose Earthquakes, where he would have run the forward line for Bruce Arena’s squad. Vazquez scored 37 goals with 19 assists in about 8,200 minutes across seven MLS seasons, including 28 goals and 12 assists in his final two campaigns with FC Cincinnati.
Antonee Robinson, left back, Fulham
Antonee Robinson served up his 10th assist of 2024 on the weekend, the eighth defender in Premier League history to reach double-digit assists in a calendar year. It continued his blazing run of form and his continued claim as the best left back in the Premier League.
Robinson’s effectiveness for Fulham, detailed here by The Athletic, has created plenty of speculation about whether some of the big clubs might be circling for a January signing. Robinson has been linked to Liverpool, Manchester City and, most recently, Manchester United.
Whether a move happens this winter or in the summer, it seems Robinson is set for a jump to the Big Six in the coming months. Robinson currently sits at No. 2 in our Transfer Radar.
Matt Turner, goalkeeper, Crystal Palace
The U.S. No. 1 has not had an easy go of it since moving to England back in 2022. He has just 17 Premier League appearances since he was sold by the New England Revolution to Arsenal, and the last of those came in January for Forest.
Turner moved to Palace on loan this season and has just one appearance so far, in a League Cup match-up back in October. That’s obviously not ideal for a goalkeeper that needs regular minutes if he’s going to be counted on as the No. 1 going into the World Cup in 2026.
It’s unlikely that Turner is going to move in this winter window, but there has to be some pressure for Turner to find a move in the summer for the final year ahead of the World Cup.
Luca de la Torre, midfielder, Celta Vigo
A member of the World Cup team in 2022, De la Torre played 31 games in La Liga last season with 22 starts. It’s been a much tougher go this time around.
The midfielder injured his ankle in September while with the U.S. and didn’t get back onto the field until December. He saw four minutes on Dec. 6 against Mallorca, but that’s his only playing time this year.
In a midfield that is growing more competitive under Pochettino, De la Torre will be on the hunt for more consistent time on the field.
The 26 year old was born and raised in San Diego and could be an intriguing option for a hometown return for the expansion side if he’s willing to move back to MLS.
(Top photo: Maurice van Steen/ ANP /AFP via Getty Images)
